Facts about Matheran– It is situated in the Raigarh District of Karjat Tehsil in the state of Maharashtra and is just 90 kms from Mumbai and easily approachable. It is the closest hill station from Mumbai and therefore the best weekend getaway for all the Mumbaikars. Motorized vehicles are not permitted here, that means no bikes, mopeds, buses, trucks or cars. After entering the town’s main gate, people travel within Matheran on foot, on horseback or human-pulled cart. No pollution, fresh air and lush green surroundings all over are the effect of no gas burning.
Fill your life with adventures, not things.
Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.
Things to do in Matheran-
1.Local shopping: The street market is a must-visit for all those who want a taste of the local culture. There are numerous little shops that sell leather goods, hats, footwear, and hand-made jute jewelry. You should also taste the honey here, which is considered to be very good. The Kolhapuri chappals are very famous here and they have some amazing collections of it. Do grab a couple of them if that interests you. It is also famous for leather bags, dry flowers and some hand made wooden souvenirs.
2. Places to see in the market: There are few places in the market area that are worth visiting and offers a wonderful view. Madhavji point is one such place that’s just across the local market area from where you can see the deep valleys and lush greenery.
3. Ram Mandir: Just on one side of the street you will find this temple that is so peaceful and quaint. Do visit this temple and sit that for half an hour to pray and meditate.
4. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj garden: If you have kids with you then go and visit this garden. It has slides, swings, and everything that kids want. You can spend an hour with the kids and enjoy some view from there as well and click nice pictures.
5. Horse riding: Matheran is very well known for this and it is also a great way of commuting. There are numerous horses on hire, and although the rates vary depending on the hour and the distance, it is a great option for horse lovers and those who are too lazy to walk. Strangely my kids are not fond of it and so we preferred walking and trekking all the way.
6. Charlotte Lake: This is a serene and scenic spot in close proximity to The Verandah in the Forest. It is the prime source of drinking water in this region. This is a perfect picnic spot and they have few stalls around that serve some hot tea, coffee, and snacks. The ancient Pisarnath temple is located at one end of the lake as also two beautiful picnic spots – Louisa Point and Echo Point.
Beware of notorious monkeys as they mark their way everywhere. Do not keep your belongings or eatables outside or else you may find them hanging on the trees!!
How to reach Matheran from Mumbai-
Mumbai-Dasturi is 2.5 hours by road. The car park is 4.5 km away from the property at Dasturi – which is as far as motor vehicles are allowed. You have to pay for parking, and for a ticket to enter Matheran. From Dasturi one can walk, hire coolies (for your baggage), ride a horse, or take a hand-pulled rickshaw to reach the market. Most of the Hotels are located very close to the market area. Hope this post is helpful and you all enjoy your Matheran trip. There are a few other activities and attractions here that I have not mentioned as we did not find time to venture all of them. Hope to cover those sometime very soon in Monsoon !! Till then take care, stay indoors during the day time and drink lots of water. I am now looking forward to my next trip to Kanpur very soon.
